Written by

Aly Brown

Iowa City Press-Citizen

The Tataki Trio ($14), sickle pomfret served in a spicy salad, seared ahi tuna and broiled unicorn fish, is served on a bed of lettuce and cucumbers at Kyodai in North Liberty. / Aly Brown / Iowa City Press-Citizen

Occasionally, consumer reviews on Yelp.com can be helpful. If nearly every post is saying the same thing, it can clue you in to overarching problems in a restaurant: bad service, stale food, high prices.

But Kyodai, a new-ish sushi and hibachi restaurant, has loads of negative reviews. Some question the freshness of the fish, which Kyodai claims is fresh, never frozen, fish from Hawaii. Others lament their service experience. After reading these, I was curious, so I set out on a cold Sunday night for dinner.

ATMOSPHERE: Like much of North Liberty, Kyodai is part of the suburban sprawl. It sits in a newly-constructed building in the middle of a field, right off of Penn Street near the interstate. It seems an ideal spot to attract travelers, as well as condo dwellers. But, with an unassuming sign, it can be easy to miss. Inside, the restaurant feels large. Walk in the door, and there is a large bar with TVs to the front, the dining room and sushi bar to the left, and hibachi grills at your right. The atmosphere is clean and sparse, with little decoration or Asian tchotchkes.

Our server was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Our only complaint was she disappeared while we waited to request our check.

MENU: The menu at Kyodai is diverse, with a clear focus on sushi, teppanyaki and creative cocktails. The sushi list is extensive, with both exotic seafood and the usual suspects, such as eel, white tuna and scallops. There also is a revolving sushi menu, which changes every few days to feature fresh shipments. On the menu, you also can find appetizers such as Harumaki ($7), hand-rolled pork egg rolls with black plum sauce and edamame ($4), served hot or cold, topped with salt or chili garlic sauce.

WHAT I ORDERED: I ordered the Tataki Trio ($14), sickle pomfret served in a spicy salad, seared ahi tuna and broiled unicorn fish, served on a bed of lettuce and cucumbers. I also ordered Kyodai’s Grand Filet of Beef ($24), a filet mignon with miso-plum jus with sautéed vegetables and potato croquettes, served with miso soup. The Tataki Trio was gorgeous, with some of the freshest fish I’ve eaten. The sickle pomfret was chopped and served in a spicy-mayo dressing that had a definite kick. The ahi tuna was tender and intensely red, with a perfectly blackened exterior. Finally, it was my first time trying unicorn fish, and it was definitely my favorite. Although the small lumps of white fish appeared boring next to the bright ahi tuna, each bite melted in my mouth, revealing a delicate, almost-creamy flavor and texture.

The steak was beautifully prepared, cooked exactly to medium, as I ordered. The filet was tender and juicy, with a sweet, salty taste from the miso-plum jus. The steak was complemented by sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, carrots and asparagus, creating a colorful, light entrée. The only piece that felt out of place was the pair of potato croquettes, large globes of fried, cheesy potatoes. I felt they were too rich, crunchy and cheesy, moving too far from the Asian menu. Perhaps mashed potatoes would provide a simpler, more appropriate starch to an otherwise-delicious, Asian-inspired dish. Finally, while everything from the fish, to the meat, to the vegetables tasted fresh and well-prepared, I’m not sure I can say my experience was worth the nearly $50 I spent.